Is this commonly used - 'lower one's affective filter'? In below sentence, I can guess from the context that 'lower their affective filter' could mean to increase the likelihood for sb. to accept something. How do you understand this phrase? Is the use of 'filter' common here? I looked 'filter' up in the dictionary and could not find a suitable definition to explain its meaning in this sentence. 'TPR (total physical response) is a method of teaching language using physical movement to react to verbal input in order to reduce student inhibitions and lower their affective filter.'